Let’s Talk Rhysand | Discussion

This post is a mess. I know I say that in all my discussion posts. However, this one may be my biggest mess yet. It was a strange take on the topic of Rhysand. I just don’t like him and I really think people overhype him.

I’m about to ruffle a shit tonne of feathers when I tell you that Rhysand is not as hot as you think. Now listen, I totally loved Rhysand in A Court of Mist and Fury but A Court of Wings and Ruin and A Court of Frost and Starlight made him a piece of shit.

I know people love this series, but hear me out. I know people are going to comment and tell me that I don’t understand this series. I’ll just ignore your comments. Rhysand needs to be called out for the shitty behaviours that Sarah wrote into him.

To preface this discussion: I have read both A Court of Thorns and Roses and A Court of Mist and Fury several times. I have only read A Court of Wings and Ruin and A Court of Frost and Starlight one. I may get information wrong but I made sure to read through several reviews to hopefully be correct. I won’t be including quotes, because I really don’t want to read these books again.

Everyone talks about Rhysand as being the highest point a male character can reach. They call him a feminist and label him as someone who helped Feyre with her recovery. They talk about how because of him Feyre was able to thrive, and a lot of people connect him with being the reason Feyre was able to recover and the fact he supported her as a strong woman. However, I really believe all of this is wrong.

I mention again that A Court of Mist and Fury helped me with my own personal recovery. I will always appreciate that book for showing me my first representation of PTSD.

A Court of Mist and Fury he was an interesting character but looking back he takes on traits that all of Sarah J Maas’ males do and it’s not great. The possessive traits and the undertones that Feyre cannot be without a man.

However, these traits that everyone loved about Rhysand disappeared in A Court of Wings and Ruin. Suddenly Rhysand was showing traits similar to what we’ve seen in Tamlin. He was unwilling to let Feyre do anything that might endanger her but he had manipulated her into believing that this was for the best. He wouldn’t let Feyre fight and basically just wanted her to be there for him to have sex with.

Actually, don’t even get me started on that. Sarah J Maas’ cannot write smut. I don’t even want to touch it. Honestly, keep it away from me.

I may sound like I’m looking too far into this but abusive characters deserve to be dissected. They deserve to be called out and I’m sick of reading about how amazing Rhysand is when he is not.

In A Court of Frost and Starlight, Rhysand goes around doing whatever he wants. Whether that be business or luxury. Feyre is confined to the Night Court and is working a desk job. Yes, the powerful woman we once knew is working a desk job. That isn’t to say that women who work at desk jobs aren’t powerful. I’m just saying there is a major double standard that people seem to be ignoring. Especially with the fact, there were always undertones of Feyre wanting to fight and be in the centre of everything. Now she is suddenly okay with doing the paperwork for Rhysand, despite being the High Lady of the Night Court.

Rhysand once encouraged Feyre to protect herself but now he’s doing everything in order for her to not leave their home. She’s basically there for Rhysand to have sex with as he pleases.

It could just be because Sarah decided to write out Feyre’s personality in later books though. She became completely reliant on Rhysand and no longer wanted to do anything for herself.

Everyone also seems to ignore the fact Rhysand sexually assaulted Feyre in A Court of Thorns and Roses. He quite literally drugs her. People seem to forgive and forget this due to the excuses in book two. I already know that people will comment saying “I don’t get it” and “he was doing it to protect her.” I really don’t think that makes it any better, honestly.

The excuses that are given for this in A Court of Mist and Fury are flimsy and not well executed. I understand that Rhysand was facing trauma and was “trying to protect Feyre” but that doesn’t give anyone an excuse to do what he did.

That also leads to the whole ‘saviour plot’ that Sarah J Maas writes for Rhysand. That is what makes everyone love him I believe. They are infatuated with the idea that he saved Feyre from an abusive man. They absolutely love the concept that he saved her from trauma. The fact that out of the three women that surround Rhysand two of them are ‘broken’ and have experienced great trauma just highlights and pushes forward this saviour plot point that the author seems to push.

Basically, Rhysand is meant to be viewed as absolutely perfect and I think that is where the flaws begin in him. Sarah J Maas didn’t create a complex character and ultimately, gave him traits of the villain from A Court of Thorns and Roses.

Basically, Rhysand really isn’t the best thing since sliced bread. In fact, it seems that Sarah J Maas’ can only write one type of male – dominant. He has so many flaws that people turn away from. People really don’t like when you point out how flawed he is. Not in a good way either.

Maybe no one will agree with me. I don’t even know. I just really think that Rhysand is overhyped. He is not a great man/Fae at all. It needs to be called out. People talk about him as if he is perfect and I just can’t handle it anymore.

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Haha, I always feel like my discussion posts of messes too, but this was actually very put together and sounded very thought out. I loved readying it. And I definitely agree that SJM can’t seem to write a solid, good male character. Rhysand is definitely overhyped and doesn’t deserve all the praise he gets.

Preach! I am total agreement with this. It really bothers me that Rhysand seems to ‘collect’ hurting people in order to further this idea that he’s so good and everything. Sorry, but if being good means that you force writing people to need your help, that’s not good.